Hamady grocery store closing its doors on Flint's north end

FLINT, MI - Jim McColgan Jr. spent the last two and a half years of his life working to open up Hamady Complete Food Centers on Flint's north side.

The store near the corner of Clio and Pierson roads in the Hallwood Plaza opened July 25, teeming with nostalgia including the paper sacks Hamady came to be known by many in the community and the promise of 80-plus jobs.

McColgan Jr., the store's owner, confirmed the location will close Tuesday, Nov. 6, less than four months after it launched anew.

"It's just a sad day in my personal life and in also in the life of Flint and the north end community," he said Tuesday evening. "I really wanted to build a beautiful store here. I just wanted it to go that way and everybody to just shop and enjoy themselves and it's just very sad."

He thanked the city of Flint, Mayor Karen Weaver, and the local chamber of commerce for their "wonderful" support along the way, but McColgan Jr. added, "We just didn't have enough traffic, enough community support."

The Hamady Bros. supermarket chain started in 1911 with a small store on East Dayton Street and Industrial Avenue in Flint.

Michael Hamady and his cousin Kamol Hamady co-founded the chain, which grew to 37 stores in the Flint area, employed approximately 1,300 people, and at one point generated $100 million in annual revenue, according to Flint Journal records.

Alex Dandy took over the business in 1974, and workers took part in a seven-week strike in 1987. Dandy served time in prison for tax evasion and fraud when he took millions from Hamady and another supermarket company.

James M. McColgan Sr., under a reorganization plan, ran the Hamady's chain in 1988. A year later, the court approved the sale of Hamady to McColgan.

When the company's losses exceeded $2 million in 1991, McColgan Sr. decided to sell the chain, according to Journal records. He filed for bankruptcy in May 1991 and last Hamady store closed two months later.

McColgan Jr. took pride in bringing back the name, which he commented still holds some high esteem in the Flint community.

"Hamady is a Flint icon. Everybody remembers Hamady. Even younger kids, even younger people," he previously said. "Hamady is still a drawing force in the city of Flint. I am very proud and honored to be a part of the Hamady family and the Hamady name."

Some delays took place in the opening process, including a stop-work order issued in late March due to Hamady working without proper permits.

In the face of the closure, McColgan Jr. tried to remain upbeat but added the discussion with employees was a difficult one.

"It was very tearful. The employees were very emotional," he commented of the situation. "Everybody that worked here put their life into this store. We are all just going to be positive and move forward."

When asked about potential additional stores as had been discussed for Clio, Durand, Holly, and South Saginaw Street in Flint, McColgan noted: "You never know what the future is going to hold, but I'm young and I'm not ready to retire."